Life's But a Walking Shadow
by AnimeGirlKairi
Summary: Upload complete...installing :/CAROLINE:/...Install Complete. System restart in 3...2...1.


**A/N: I'm sure many of you know already but I haven't been active in** _ **years**_ **. But don't worry, I'm still alive and kicking, my muses are just somewhere else now. I may kick my fanfiction back up but for now school and work just won't allow that. :')**

 **So here, I found this in my old fanfiction folder. It's not complete but I figured it's better than nothing. Say hello again to my 14-year-old self!  
Prequel to **_**My First Creation.**_

 **Sequel to** _ **Last Confession**_ **.**

 _[Transfer completed. Installing data into AI.]_

The pain. The pain was gone. I feel limp, and heavy. I feel so... _weak_. But despite the fact that I couldn't feel or do _anything,_ I could hear people yelling commands, the stomping of feet, and buttons being pressed. As the sounds continued to resonate around me, I tried to find out where I was...or _wasn't_. I can't feel my arms, my legs, or even the steady beating of my heart.

I was beginning to panic, but no matter what I did I wouldn't move - or do anything but remain completely still and immobile - and that sense of feeling lifeless and weak never left me; it clung to me like a hungry leech.

After awhile I stopped trying to move about and calmed myself. There wasn't anything else I could.

"Alright the process was complete! Initiate start-up!" A male voice suddenly commanded confidently.

"Right!" A female voice chippered in response, followed by the sound of a large switch being flipped.

Then everything changed and I was enveloped with binary codes and streams of numbers, along with incomplete sentences referring to the system maintenance scans. I felt my mind expand across rooms, halls, computers, _everything_ in the facility. All of it was linked to me so fast I barely had any time to understand what had just happened. All I knew was that I _was one_ with the facility. But it didn't stop there, no, my mind began expanding as my thoughts intertwined with some sort of subconscious programs and wireless features, broadening my horizon of knowledge I've never experienced before. In just one moment, I learned all the languages of the world, including binary and the basic structure of sign language.

Next thing I knew, energy began pouring into me, and with it a great feel of _power_ ran through my being - almost like I was struck by lightning. I felt invigorated and was greeted with a calming sense of euphoria I never experienced before. It was bliss, I might as well have ascended to the clouds of heaven.

All of this...the energy, the power, the knowledge...it was...beyond comprehension.

But I didn't care about that.

I didn't care about _any_ of that.

Even though my...mind was elsewhere, I could feel myself stir and stretch, as if I just woke up from a nap. Then as if by some forceful instinct, I opened my eyes- no, my...optic. My bright, yellow optic immediately scanned the room and everything around it. Scientists everywhere were gawking at me, some showing amusement while others held quiet awe.

But I ignored them and as I continued my examination before my optic fell on something in the back of the room. I focused on the thing attached to a chair, wires strapped to the poor creature in disarray. Then, without warning, my memories of moments ago flooded in mercilessly as I was overcome with shock and grief.

It was...it was... _my_ body. My body was right there. Lifeless. Dead.

And I was _never_ going back in it.

The electronic noise I gave off resembled a whimper as I felt my... _chassis_ sink in disbelief and despair. If any of the scientists heard or noticed my behavior, they gave no sign of it.

 _My gosh, it actually worked…_ A small piece of me wished this project would fail, giving me the chance to run to my daughter's arms. To show her the love I always wanted but was never able to give.

Hell, I no longer cared if Aperture was bankrupted because of it anymore. I just want to be with my sweet _Chell_ , I can't stand to be apart from her anymore!

"It was a success!" One of the scientists exclaimed.

"Yes!"

"Whooo!"

They rejoiced. They flew their arms over each other, smiled broad smiles, danced like idiots; some of them even opened bottles of wine into glass cups. And while they laughed and shouted in joy, I wanted to cry.

And I wished I could, because that would mean I was _human_ again, and...I'm not anymore. I tried anyways. I squinted my optic and tried to let my feelings just...pour out, but nothing came.

I just had to accept that I wasn't _human_ anymore.

I was a sentient robot. The Central Core. I was now the Genetic Lifeform and Disk Operating System.

Oh gosh, Cave, why did you want me to _do_ this?

"GLaDOS!" Someone called.

I swerved to the voice's source and looked down at a group of scientists having a couple of beers, grinning at me with grins I never once saw in the time they were employed here. They hoisted their beers up to me and one of the females asked in a peppy tone, "So how do you feel GLaDOS? Everything running smoothly?"

I remained silent, adjusting my optic to get a good look at their smiles. What could I say? How I hated being in this thing? How I wanted to be with my daughter again?

How I wanted to be human again, even though this was what Cave and others sought for for years?

I closed and opened my lens thoughtfully. Taking a couple of seconds to find my, so-called, speech module, I answered, hesitantly. _"I may be in this body,"_ I began diligently, _"but my name is still Caroline, and you will address me as such."_

Everybody froze the minute I uttered those words through my built-in speakers. They all looked at me with bemusement and disrepair, as if I committed a horrendous crime right before their eyes.

I shifted uncomfortably, still trying to get used to my new body, as I panned around the room in confusion. _Did I say something wrong?_

"It didn't work?" Someone whispered.

"This can't be right." Another muttered.

"Oh no, wasn't she supposed to…" Another commented aridly.

Then realization hit me and I remembered something. Something _bad._ Something that was locked in the back of my mind, until now that is.

 _ **You're going to delete them, I know you are!**_

 _ **Sorry...but we don't want your feelings to get in the way of Science.**_

…

Oh. My. Gosh.

No, I never wanted to believe it. I _couldn't_ believe it, no matter how hard I tried, even after one of the scientists confessed to it.

They tried to erase my memories. My memories of me, Cave, and...and….

...Chell.

I abruptly whirled around to face the control center and narrowed my optic at one of the scientists behind the glass window. _"You…all of you..."_ I stuttered, feeling my rage boil and infest inside me. _"You tried to delete my memories, didn't you?!_ "

The familiar, male scientist flinched and dropped his beer, the sound of glass breaking on the floor seemed to have set everything in motion as everyone began to panic and sprint away from the central chamber.

"Quick, someone deactivate her!" A male scientist yelled.

"Who knows what she'll do!" A female screamed.

"Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit!" Another cursed.

I growled, feeling my new robotic instinct take over as I summoned claws from the ceilings and panels in the floor. Appendages I never even _knew_ existed. Until now, that is. _How dare they, how dare they! I won't forgive them! I won't forgive them!_

 _I won't forgive anyone who tries to make me forget my family!_

I grabbed as many of the scientists as I could and flung them to the control center, hoping it would shatter the glass. But the glass was bullet proof and hard as nails, and proved futile. Instead, I tried ramming all the claw appendages into it, the impacts proving their worth as large cracks began spread across it.

All the while, one of the scientists tried using the same switch they, supposedly, used to wake me up and slam back down into the 'off' mode. But _that_ wasn't going to do anything.

I made sure of that.

The man kept bringing the switch up and down expectantly, trying to shut me down, but it was useless. I may not have a degree in engineering or physics, but I sure as hell know my way around computer programming and software.

I wasn't Cave's receptionist and personal assistant for _nothing_!

"Shit! She overrided the basic controls!" He yelled, trembling in fear as he caught a glimpse of me before running into an adjacent hallway, out of sight.

"Dammit!" The same, familiar man in the control center gritted his teeth and glowered at me. "We'll have to shut her down _manually_."

I narrowed my optic at him, the yellow light my optic was giving off shining in his face. _"Just_ try _it. You'll regret_ ever _trying to erase my memories of my loved ones!"_

He scowled, taking a deep, collected breath, before shooting over to the stairs to the far right of the center. "Keep her busy!" He shouted. "I can't do this alone!"

I still couldn't find dad anywhere. It's been, at least, a good hour after I met up with Miss Caroline; which made me lose focus on where he was going after I was caught eavesdropping on their project plan.

Still, whatever they were talking about, made me confused and uneasy. Putting a person in a _computer_? I never heard of something like that before. Heck, I barely understand the 'potato battery' concept.

Which reminds me, I need to work on that project for that upcoming "Bring your daughter to work day" event. It's funny to me, since dad _always_ brings me to work. I don't know why. I guess he can't find a sitter for me? I don't care, I _like_ being with him at work…

...which is why I'm looking everywhere for him right now.

As soon as I veered a corner, however, I was instantly bombarded with a wave of screaming scientists. I froze in place as they all rushed past me without a single glance in my direction. No alarms were sounding or any lights flashing, but the fear on their faces still put me on edge.

A few seconds went by and the last of scientists seemed to have vanished. I stayed in place, unnerved by what had just happened. _Why were they running_? I glanced behind me, in the direction they fled, and saw no one; half expecting someone to answer my inaudible thoughts. I turned back around and clenched my fists tightly. _Something's going on. And knowing my dad, he might still be in the middle of that situation._

I continued in the direction I was going, but running to reach the supposed destination quicker. The halls may be a maze to me - even though I've been here with my dad most of my life - but I had a feeling that whatever the scientists were running from, it was at the end of the hall.

And my hypothesis was correct. The hall ended and was replaced with a, sort of, damaged control center; the windows were destroyed, some of the instruments flickered electricity into the air, and dents littered the metal walls. Even the stairs that connected the control center to the other room was in bad shape and worse for wear.

But what caught my attention the most was the room attached to it…

...and the large... _thing_ attached to the ceiling and the man darting and evading the thing's claws.

I gasped. It was dad!

No one else was here, it was just him and that...machine. Even though it didn't have a face, I could tell it was _angry_. It seemed to growl, and throw insults at dad as he continually dodged the claws that kept pursuing him.

" _You son of a bitch, I won't forgive you for doing this!"_ The machine hissed.

"Stop this GLaDOS!" Dad yelled, ducking down as one of the claws whirled overhead.

The machine seemed to seethe in response. _"My name is NOT GLaDOS! It's Caroline! Caroline!"_

I felt a lump in my throat, my eyes going wide and my hands trembling at the machine's words.

I felt stiff, and my legs felt like jelly, as I collapsed to the floor in disbelief at what I was witnessing, and what I was hearing. And my memories made everything click. _This_ was the project they were doing, Miss Caroline _is_ that thing.

They did put her in a computer.

The sound of a cry of pain made me leave my bewildered thoughts and look back up.

Only to find daddy in her claws, crushing the life out of him.

My scream was lodged in my throat as I tried to tell her to stop. To tell her to stop hurting dad. But vocal chords refused to utter anything and I was left watching him slowly die.

" _You will...you will_ pay _for betraying me!"_ The machine- Miss Caroline said in a dark tone. _"Cave wouldn't have wanted_ this, _you monster!"_

The sound of something cracking echoed the room as another piercing cry of pain left my father's, hoarse throat. Tears streamed down my cheeks as I, desperately, tried to crawl closer to them. But I was too weak, and ended up collapsing onto my arms.

I gritted my teeth in despair as anger and fear welled up in me, forcing my vocals to move and scream, "STOP!"

Miss Caroline jolted in surprise and instantly dropped my dad onto the cold, steel floor. Miss Caroline wavered and began looking around the room with vigorous sways. She must have recognised my voice, there was no other reasoning that would explain her behavior right now.

Seconds went by and she swayed in my direction, her...eye meeting mine. She froze and locked her gaze onto me, which made my stomach churn and my skin crawl. But my eyes instinctively went over to dad. Relief swept over me as he moving back onto his knees, and, hesitantly, back to his feet.

" _Chell!"_ Miss Caroline called, her voice sounding slightly distorted. _"Chell, it's me! It's me! It's Caroline!"_

I gave no response as fear still gripped both my mind and body. All I could do was stare back at her in disbelief and bewilderment.

" _Listen to me. I_ need _to tell you something before it's too late!"_ She continued, ignoring father's unsteady and injured presence a few feet from her. _"I'm...I am your-"_

Before she could finish my dad bolted to her and wrapped his arms around her 'head'. She bolted back and began shaking her 'head' vigorously to try to get him off. But he clung to her tightly enough as he slowly climbed up and flipped a very small panel open.

" _No!"_ She shouted. _"Get off! Get off of me!"_

He ignored her pleas and hit the red button, making her body cease up instantly and fall limp to the floor.


End file.
